Caleb Rodney

Infobox Officeholder
honorific-prefix =
name = Caleb Rodney
honorific-suffix =

---

imagesize =
small

office = Governor of Delaware
term_start = April 23 1822
term_end = January 21 1823
predecessor = John Collins
successor = Joseph Haslet
birth_date = birth date|1767|4|29|mf=y
birth_place = Lewes, Delaware
death_date = death date and age|1840|4|29|1767|4|29
death_place = Lewes, Delaware
spouse = Elizabeth West
party = Federalist
residence = Lewes, Delaware
alma_mater =
occupation = merchant
profession =
religion = Episcopalian

Caleb Rodney (April 29 1767 – April 29 1840) was an American merchant and politician from Lewes, in Sussex County, Delaware. He was a member of the Federalist Party, who served in the Delaware General Assembly and as Governor of Delaware.

Early life and family

Rodney was born April 29 1767 in Lewes, Delaware, son of John and Ruth Hunn Rodney, brother of former Governor Daniel Rodney, and distantly related to President Caesar Rodney. He married Elizabeth West and had five children, Hannah, Hester, Penelope, Eliza, and Daniel. They were members of St. Peter's Episcopal Church in Lewes. He ran a store at the corner of 2nd and market Streets in Lewes, the door to which was allegedly damaged in the British attack and is now on display at the Zwaanendael Museum in Lewes.

Political career

Rodney served in the State House for four sessions from 1802 through 1805, when he was elected to the State Senate and served for four more sessions from 1806 through 1809. He was back in the State House for two sessions in 1812 and 1813, and then returned to the State Senate for one session in 1816. In October 1816 he ran for U.S. Congress, but lost the election. So, the following year he was returned to his old seat in the State Senate and served for five sessions from 1818 through 1822. He was the Speaker in the last two sessions and, therefore, became Governor upon the death of Governor John Collins.He then served as Governor from April 23 1822 until January 21 1823.

Rodney was known as an opponent of slavery, expressing the desire that the institution could be ended through continued manumissions.

Death and legacy

Rodney died April 29 1840 at Lewes, Delaware and is buried there, at St. Peter's Episcopal Church Cemetery.

No known portrait of Caleb Rodney exists.

{|class=wikitable style="width: 94%" style="text-align: center;" align="center"
-bgcolor=#cccccc!colspan=12 style="background: #ccccff;" |Delaware General Assembly
"(sessions while Governor)"
-!Year!Assembly!!Senate Majority!Speaker!!House Majority!Speaker
-
1822
46th|
Party shading/Federalist |Federalist
Party shading/Federalist |vacant|
Party shading/Federalist |Federalist
Party shading/Federalist |Alrichs Ryland
###@@@KEYEND@@@###

Almanac

Elections were held the first Tuesday of October. Members of the Delaware General Assembly took office the first Tuesday of January. State Senators had a three year term and State Representatives had a one year term. The Governor takes office the third Tuesday of January and had a three year term.

{|class=wikitable style="width: 94%" style="text-align: center;" align="center"
-bgcolor=#cccccc!colspan=7 style="background: #ccccff;" | Public Offices
-! Office! Type! Location! Elected! Took Office! Left Office! notes
-Party shading/Anti-Jacksonian
State Representative
Legislature
Dover
1801
January 5 1802
January 4 1803|
-Party shading/Anti-Jacksonian
State Representative
Legislature
Dover
1802
January 4 1803
January 3 1804|
-Party shading/Anti-Jacksonian
State Representative
Legislature
Dover
1803
January 3 1804
January 1 1805|
-Party shading/Anti-Jacksonian
State Representative
Legislature
Dover
1804
January 1 1805
January 7 1806|
-Party shading/Anti-Jacksonian
State Senator
Legislature
Dover
1805
January 7 1806
January 6 1807|
-Party shading/Anti-Jacksonian
State Senator
Legislature
Dover
1806
January 6 1807
January 2 1810|
-Party shading/Anti-Jacksonian
State Representative
Legislature
Dover
1811
January 7 1812
January 5 1813|
-Party shading/Anti-Jacksonian
State Representative
Legislature
Dover
1812
January 5 1813
January 4 1814|
-Party shading/Anti-Jacksonian
State Senator
Legislature
Dover
1815
January 2 1816
January 7 1817|
-Party shading/Anti-Jacksonian
State Senator
Legislature
Dover
1817
January 6 1818
January 4 1820|
-Party shading/Anti-Jacksonian
State Senator
Legislature
Dover
1819
January 4 1820
April 23 1822|
-Party shading/Anti-Jacksonian
Governor
Executive
Dover|
April 23 1822
January 21 1823
acting
###@@@KEYEND@@@###

{|class=wikitable style="width: 94%" style="text-align: center;" align="center"
-bgcolor=#cccccc!colspan=7 style="background: #ccccff;" |Delaware General Assembly "service"
-! Dates! Assembly! Chamber! Majority! Governor! Committees! District
-Party shading/Federalist
1802
26th
State House
Federalist
David Hall|
Sussex "at-large"
-Party shading/Federalist
1803
27th
State House
Federalist
David Hall|
Sussex "at-large"
-Party shading/Federalist
1804
28th
State House
Federalist
David Hall|
Sussex "at-large"
-Party shading/Federalist
1805
29th
State House
Federalist
Nathaniel Mitchell|
Sussex "at-large"
-Party shading/Federalist
1806
30th
State Senate
Federalist
Nathaniel Mitchell|
Sussex "at-large"
-Party shading/Federalist
1807
31st
State Senate
Federalist
Nathaniel Mitchell|
Sussex "at-large"
-Party shading/Federalist
1808
32nd
State Senate
Federalist
George Truitt|
Sussex "at-large"
-Party shading/Federalist
1809
33rd
State Senate
Federalist
George Truitt|
Sussex "at-large"
-Party shading/Federalist
1812
36th
State House
Federalist
Joseph Haslet|
Sussex "at-large"
-Party shading/Federalist
1813
37th
State House
Federalist
Joseph Haslet|
Sussex "at-large"
-Party shading/Federalist
1816
40th
State Senate
Federalist
Daniel Rodney|
Sussex "at-large"
-Party shading/Federalist
1818
42nd
State Senate
Federalist
John Clark|
Sussex "at-large"
-Party shading/Federalist
1819
43rd
State Senate
Federalist
John Clark|
Sussex "at-large"
-Party shading/Federalist
1820
44th
State Senate
Federalist
Jacob Stout|
Sussex "at-large"
-Party shading/Federalist
1821
45th
State Senate
Federalist
John Collins
Speaker
Sussex "at-large"
-Party shading/Federalist
1822
46th
State Senate
Federalist
John Collins
Speaker
Sussex "at-large"
###@@@KEYEND@@@###

References

*cite book |title = History of the State of Delaware |last= Conrad |first= Henry C. |coauthors= |work= |publisher= Wickersham Company |location= Lancaster, Pennsylvania |pages= |year= 1908 |id=
*cite book |title= A History of Delaware Through its Governors |last= Martin |first= Roger A. |coauthors= |work= |publisher= McClafferty Press |location= Wilmington, Delaware |pages= |year= 1984 |id=
*cite book |title= Memoirs of the Senate |last= Martin |first= Roger A. |coauthors= |work= |publisher= Roger A. Martin |location= Newark, Delaware |pages= |year= 1995 |id=
*cite book |title= History of Delaware 1609-1888. 2 vols |last= Scharf |first= John Thomas |coauthors= |work= |publisher= L. J. Richards & Co |location= Philadelphia |pages= |year= 1888 |id= ISBN 0-87413-493-5

External links

* [http://www.nga.org/portal/site/nga/menuitem.29fab9fb4add37305ddcbeeb501010a0/?vgnextoid=56ca224971c81010VgnVCM1000001a01010aRCRD&vgnextchannel=e449a0ca9e3f1010VgnVCM1000001a01010aRCRD Caleb Rodney at the "Biographical Directory of the Governors of the United States"]
* [http://politicalgraveyard.com/bio/rodgers-rodriguez.html#RKD0GS8I4 The Political Graveyard ]
*Find A Grave|id=7493872
* [http://www.russpickett.com/history/delgov2.htm#crod2 Caleb Rodney at "Delaware’s Governors"]

Places with more information

* [http://www.hsd.org/ Historical Society of Delaware] , 505 Market St., Wilmington, Delaware [phone]
* [http://www.lib.udel.edu/ University of Delaware Library] , 181 South College Ave., Newark, Delaware [phone]
* [http://www.destatemuseums.org/information/Museums/Zwan/zwaanendael.shtml Zwaanendael Museum] , Kings Highway & Savannah Road, Lewes, Delaware [phone]
* [http://www.stpeterslewes.org/home.htm St. Peter's Episcopal Church] , 212 Second Street, Lewes Delaware [phone]